This invention relates to a headlight system and has been devised particularly, though not necessarily solely for use with small or narrow vehicles. An example of such a vehicle is a motorcycle.
The HURT Report which is a well known report of a study of thousands of motorcycle accidents in Southern California, found that the primary cause of motorcycle accidents was non-conspicuity of the motorcycle to drivers of other vehicles. It is my belief, based on personal experience, that motorcycles, even with their headlight on, do not create an automatically perceived threat in the minds of drivers of four wheeled vehicles. Although the driver may xe2x80x9cseexe2x80x9d the motorcycle, the driver will still proceed into the path of the motorcycle. This may have something to do with the threat-filtering mechanism built into the reticular formation of the human brain. Further study may identify the psychological and physiological foundations for my hypothesis. However, real world observations verify that the phenomena of motorists not xe2x80x9cseeingxe2x80x9d patently visible motorcycles is correct.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a headlight system and/or a vehicle which will obviate or minimize the foregoing problem in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.
Accordingly in one aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a headlight system comprising a mounting device whereby the headlight system can be mounted on a vehicle, and a pair of spaced apart headlights carried by the mounting device.
The mounting device includes an adjustment device whereby the distance between the headlights carried by the mounting device may be varied.
The adjustment device includes a telescopic mounting device.
Preferably the headlight system includes switch means whereby, in use, when the spaced apart headlights are xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d any existing headlight is xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d.
Preferably the distance apart of the headlights is expandable to at least one meter.
In a further aspect the invention may broadly be said to consist in a vehicle carrying a headlight system according to any one of the proceeding paragraphs.
Preferably the vehicle comprises a two wheeled vehicle.
Preferably the spaced apart headlights are positioned one on each side of the existing headlights of the vehicle.
Preferably the mounting device is carried on the front wheel forks of a two wheeled vehicle.
This invention may also broadly be said to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of the parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents, such equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.